The First Patron wrote the Written Word, creating the world and all the things
on it. He created the realms of fairy, the mists, the Slumberlands and even
Anathema, home of demons. He is the author of all things.
Other Patrons followed.
Patrons were once men and women, but are now something both more and less.
They can sometimes be seen walking the world, but they do not interact with
the world, and nothing at all seems to affect them. Only on some far away level
do they seem to hear or see the world around them.
On rare occasions, wisdom may be gleaned from a patron’s words, but this
is tricky because the patrons never speak directly to the people around them.
It is usually best to leave the patrons alone, when experiencing them or not.
It is most likely true that they can sense the world without being present,
and to that end people will try to direct their attention, either to them or
away. Patrons are often known to embody the kinds of stories that they write.
At the same time, it isn’t absolutely certain if the patrons write the
events of the world and so those events occur, or if the events occur and are
then written down.
As with fairies, it is sometimes best to leave patrons well enough alone.
The Greater Patrons
There are countless patrons who roam the world, ghost-like with their eyes
glued to the pages of their tomes. Below is a list of some of the better known
patrons, and how they are associated.
Mother Goose
The Mother is considered by many to be the second patron. Some believe she is
called the Mother because to her, all others are like children, and others believe
it is because she favors tales for children or about them. Her tales are the
oldest of any other Patron, and although there have been no new ones discovered
recently, most suspect she is still around. Mother Goose rides an enchanted
goose through the sky, and some believe that she lives in a comfortable cottage
on the side of the moon.
Longstride, The Wanderer
The Wander is thought to have been to every place on the Written World. His
tales typically involve much travel, or take place over a very long time. More
often than not, they end without a satisfying conclusion, and it is very clear
that the journey, to him at least, is what is important. He is well known for
his attention to detail, and his pages often begin with a detailed map of his
protagonist’s route. He left markers called the Footprints of the Wanderer
to announce his passing, or maybe just to remind himself of where he has been.
Historians pay handsomely for the location of these places.
The Harrow
The Harrow is a patron to be avoided. He is attracted to the macabre, or perhaps
he just writes that way. His characters typically meet unsavory ends. When a
death is very painful or drawn out, most believe that Harrow penned it. Soldiers
might ask that he sharpen their blade before battle, but even then they fear
the same blade will be turned against them. Harrow is believed to be a scarecrow-thin
individual, cloaked in shadows and accompanied by ravens.
Noss (the Curious)
Noss is not an exciting patron, which, in a patron, is often a good thing. Those
who catch his attention often lead unexciting yet still fulfilled lives. He
tends to write stories that explain things -- how they work and why. There’s
little action in a Noss tale, and ultimately, sometimes with persistence, the
focus of his tales discover what they are after, and often end with a deeper
understanding of the quieter dramas that unfold in the subtext of their lives.
Cupid
Cupid writes loves tales with a child-like innocence, and prefers stories of
love and deep, throbbing emotion. Sadly, he seems to lack much understanding
of how men and women act when thought is not involved, and his characters get
themselves in a great deal of trouble that, ultimately, could have been avoided.
The wise tend to want to avoid Cupid’s notice, while the foolish or young
at heart try very hard to seek him out.
Johanna the Warrior
Johanna is a free spirit. Her stories typically are of high adventure and derring-do.
Those she writes about typically have no cause to be bored, and to that end,
she is another patron that most would rather avoid. That said, her stories are
filled with reward, and those who embark on adventure on purpose could do worse
than to have her write their tale.
Humphrey
It is a matter of some speculation as to how Humphrey found his way to become
a patron. While his tales tend to cover a wide range of topics, they tend to
ramble, and more often than not they end abruptly without any resolution. It
cannot even be said that, as with the Wanderer, it is the journey that matters
to Humphrey, because even those tend to be rambling and introspective without
a process. Those who would embark on projects would do well to avoid the notice
of Humphry, or face the more than likely possibility that that project will
never see fruition.
Alice
The youngest of the Patrons, Alice - formerly Princess Alice of the Heartlands
- ascended to be a Patron only twelve years ago. Her tales are often ones of
Madness and Paradox, of Dreams and Nightmares, of things that are a reflection
of the world we know but reveal a different truth. She was once a patient for
many years at the Asylum, and it is said that Alice still sometimes visits,
telling her tales to the patients there. Her greatest story is the tales of
Wonderland, and some say that this world paradoxically exists on its own, a
mad reflection of the Written Word.
Festia
Festia writes of celebration. Birthdays, weddings, and holidays are her bailiwick
– such days always feel the touch of her pen, and on those days it is
common to raise a glass in her name. While other famous figures feature prominently
in the tales of Winterfire, it was clearly Festia who made the day as popular
as it has become. She is perhaps the happiest of the Patrons.
Festia’s husband is Papa Jingle, the Hearthfather, who was once a mere
man but who became something much, much more as a result of Festia’s writings.
Callahan Cotting
Callahan is the newest addition to the roster of known Patrons. When considering
the scope of the Written World Callahan’s influence is not great, but
within Cottington Woods is is vast, as his tales have to do with the members
of the Cotting family and the heroes who visit the Cotting House.
Other Patrons
There are hundreds, maybe thousands of other patrons. Their names are not all
known, even to the Church of the Word. Many of these have the same level of
fame or infamy as the patrons listed here (and some are saints associated with
the Greater Patrons), but most are far less well known.
